Auto-aerial ladder-truck.



PATENTED APR. 1 7

H. T. KINGSBURY.

AUTO-AERIAL LADDER TRUCK.

APPLICATION I'iLED SEPT. 29, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

PATENTED APR. 17

H. T. KIN GSBURY.

AUTO-AERIAL LADDER TRUCK.

APPLIOATION FILED 83213.29, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

UNTTET) STATES PATENT @EETEE.

AUTO-AERIAL LADDER-TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 17, 1906.

Application filed fieptember 29, 1905. Serial No. 280,641.

T0 at whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY T. KINGSBURY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Keene, in the county of Cheshire, State of New Hampshire,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Auto -AerialLadder-Trucks, of which the following is a description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference markedthereon.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel andattractive toy in the form of a ladder-truck, in which the truck ispropelled by a suitable motor and carries an automatically-raisedladder.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spring-elevated ladderhaving a suitable means for retarding or governing the speed at whichthe ladder is raised.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a normallyrestrained spring-elevated ladder and a self-releasing latch or startingdevice which may be moved to allow the ladder to rise.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in theconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly insection, of a toy constructed in accordance with the invention, theladder being in horizontal position on the truck. Fig. 2 is a similarview of the front end of the device, the ladder being elevated. Fig. 3is a detail perspective view of the releasing-catch and its connectedparts. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the speed-governing device.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The truck is preferably formed of stamped sheet metal and compriseslongitudinal sills lfmounted on suitable front and rear wheeled axles 23. The rear axle includes a driven member that is propelled by aspring-motor 4, having a suitable winding-key 5, the motor driving oneor both of the rear wheels, and thus propelling the truck. At the frontof the frame is a suitable seat 6 for a wheelsman or chauffeur.

The longitudinal sills are provided with vertically-arranged lugs 8,carrying a pivotpin or cross-bar 9, on which are pivoted the ears 10 ofa sheet-metal bracket 11, said bracket being arranged to embrace andfirmly clamp the lower ends of the side rails of a ladder and beingstrengthened by an integral cross-bar 12. On the pivot-pin is alsomounted a toothed segment 15, that is provided with an integral lug 16,notched for the reception of the cross-bar. The segment is held in acentral position by means of a crossbar 17, having perforated ears forthe passage of the pivot-pin and provided on its opposite sides withpendent flanges 19 slit, or grooved for the reception of'the segment.

The lugs 8 previously referred to form the ends of a strip 20, thatextends transversely across the frame below the sills and is providedwith openings for the reception of the arbor 20 of an anchor 21 in theform of a pair of spaced curved bars weighted at their opposite ends andcarrying crosspins 22, that form pallets for engagement with the teethof the segment, the mechanism being in the form of an escapement forretarding or controlling the upward movement of the ladder.

The ladder is preferably formed of wood and comprises a lower section 24and an upper section 25, the adjacent ends of which abut when the ladderis elevated. Each section carries a bracket 26, having projecting cars27, that are connected by a pivotpin 28. Coiled around the pin is atorsionspring 29, having its ends connected to the respectiveladder-sections, this spring servin as the ladder-elevating means.

rom the lower portion of the upper ladder-section 25 extends aconnecting member 30, the lower end of which is connected to a loop 31,carried by the frame or seat member, and while this connecting membermay be in the form of a non-extensible rod it is preferably made in twosections that are connected by a relief-spring 33, so that the laddermay be folded down in any manner. If the ladder is folded as it islowered, the s ring is not brought into play; but if the twoadder-sections are first turned down flat before the upper ladder isfolded over the spring is placed under stress. When the ladder islowered, its rear end is received on a rest 34, which may form a part ofthe motor-carrying frame, and the sides of the rest have upturned lipsor flanges to prevent lateral movement of the ladder. Extending acrossthe frame is apivotpin 36, on which is mounted a catch 37, arranged toengage one of the rungs of the upper ladder-section, and said catch ispreferably bifurcated at its upper end to permit the passage of theconnecting member 30.

The front cross-bar 38 of the frame has guiding-openings for the passageof the parallel arms of a Ushaped trip 89, the rear ends of saidarmsbeing pivoted in cars 40 on the catch. The front cross-bar of thetrip projects beyond the front of the frame, so that when it touches awall, desk, table-leg, or other obstruction the catch will be thrownback, automatically releasing the ladder and allowing it to rise to thevertical position. The elevating-spring cannot act to throw the ladderup suddenly, the speed being governed by the escapement mechanismpreviously described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A toy ladder-truck having a spring-elevated ladder, and automaticmeans for governing the speed of movement of the ladder.

2. A toy ladder-truck having a movable ladder, means for elevating thesame, and automatic mechanism for retarding or governing the movement ofsaid elevating means.

3. A toy ladder-truck having a movable ladder, a spring for elevatingthe same, and an automatic governing device for retarding the action ofthe spring.

4. A toy ladder-truck, a ladder pivotally connected thereto, a springfor elevating the ladder, and an escapement mechanism for governing thespeed of movement of the lad- 5. A toy ladder-truck, a ladder pivotedthereto, an escapement member carried by and movable with the ladder, aspring for elevating the ladder, and an escapement-anchor supported bythe truck-frame and coacting with said escapement member to retard orgovern the movement of the ladder.

6. A toy ladder-truck, a ladder pivotally connected thereto, a toothedsegment secured to and movable with the ladder, an escapement-anchorcarried by the truck-frame and comprising a pair of spaced arms havingweighted outer ends and provided with crosspins forming pallets, and aspring for elevating the ladder.

7. A toy ladder-truck, an'automaticallyelevated ladder carried thereby,a catch acting against the elevating device to hold the ladder inlowered position, and means for releasing the catch; substantially asdescribed.

8. A toy ladder-truck, an automaticallyelevated ladder carried thereby,a catch for engaging and holding the ladder in lowered position, andmeans for transmitting release movement to said catch.

9. A toy ladder-truck, an automatically elevated ladder supportedthereby, and an ladder, a pivotally-arranged catch normally holding theladder in lowered position, and a U-shaped trip-bar connected to thecatch, and extended to the forward end of the truck in a position to beengaged by any obstacle in the path of movement of the truck.

12. A toy ladder-truck, a ladder pivotally connected thereto, saidladder being formed of a pair of pivotally-connected sections, the endsof which are designed to abut when the ladder is elevated, anelevating-spring at the juncture of the two ladders and tending toelevate the same, and means connecting the upper ladder-secti0n to thetruck-frame, whereby unwinding movement of the spring will raise thelower laddensection and throw the whole ladder forward.

13. A toy ladder-truck, a ladder pivotally connected thereto and formedof a plurality of pivotally-connected sections, a torsionspring arrangedat the juncture of two sections of the ladder and tending to separatethe same, and a spring-connecting bar extending between the upperladder-section and a stationary portion of the truck-frame.

14. A toy ladder-truck, a pivot-pin supported by the frame of the truck,a ladder, a bracket clamped to the ladder and having ears through whichthe pivot-pin passes, a toothed segment mounted on the pivot-pin andhaving a notched projection engaging the bracket, a cross-bar having endears through which the pivot-pin passes and provided with dependingnotched sides arranged to receive the segment and hold the latter in'acentral position, an anchor pivoted to the frame and engaging the teethof the segment, and a spring for elevating said ladder.

15. In a toy ladder-truck, the combination with a frame andrunning-gear, of a motor element for driving the truck, a seat at thefront end of the truck, a ladder pivoted to the forward end of thetruck, a ladder-rest arranged near the rear edge of the truck, a springfor elevating the ladder, an obstacleengaging catch normally holding theladder in lowered position, and means for governing the speed at whichthe ladder is elevated.

16. In a toy ladder-truck pivotally connected ladder-sections supportedthereby, means for elevating the latter, including an elevating-springarranged at the juncture of two of the ladder-sections, a catch devicefor holding the ladder-sections in retracted position, and a trip forreleasing said catch; subcatch and allow the ladder-sections to beelestantially as described. vated; substantially as described. 10 17. Ina toy ladder-truck, a series of lad- In testimony whereof I afliX mysignature der-sections, aspring for elevating the same, a in presence oftwo witnesses.

catch for holding the ladder in lowered posiv HARRY T. KINGSBURY.

tion, and a trip device projecting from the Witnesses:

truck and operable by engagement with an W. L. MASON,

obstacle in the path thereof to release the G. H. SHERWIN.

